Orthodontists treat patients by controlling the movement and displacement of teeth or the jaws in a mouth by use of various orthodontic devices and procedures. Movement or rotation of a tooth within the mouth may be accomplished through the use of external forces applied to the tooth. To ensure that the moved or treated tooth remains in a desired location in the jaw bone, an external force is applied to the tooth for an extended period of time. Once the tooth has reached a desired position or orientation, the force may be removed. Some examples of devices used to apply the necessary force to the tooth are brackets, buccal tubes, wires, clamps, or rubber bands.
Another known orthodontic condition that needs treatment concerns the correction of the alignment of the lower jaw relative to the upper jaw. For example, a patient may have a malocclusion condition where the lower jaw is positioned an excessive distance in a rearward direction from the upper jaw when both of the jaws are closed. This condition is commonly known as an overbite. Another malocclusion condition is one where the lower jaw of a patient protrudes up and outward abnormally partially overlapping upper teeth or jaw when both of the jaws are closed. This condition is commonly known as an underbite. Unlike an overbite which is extremely common, underbites only affect 5-10% of the world's population. In order to treat these malocclusion conditions, orthodontists have invented various apparatuses.
Various devices have been proposed and used to attempt to correct the malocclusion conditions of overbite and underbite. For example, a force-applying device such as a headgear device that includes strapping that extends around the head of the patient and connects to various brackets attached to the teeth has been used. Since headgear is worn outside the mouth, it has been found unacceptable to some patients due to the embarrassment of wearing it. Some intra-oral devices have been developed and used to attempt to correct malocclusion conditions. Such devices include telescoping mechanisms, pins, rods, elastic materials, chains, or the Herbst appliance. These devices can be bulky, impede tongue mobility, are uncomfortable to wear, and interfere with good oral hygiene.
The present disclosure is designed to obviate and overcome many of the disadvantages and shortcomings experienced with prior orthodontic devices. Moreover, the present disclosure is related to a mandibular repositioning device that can reposition the lower jaw relative to the upper jaw to correct a malocclusive condition. Further, it would be advantageous to have a mandibular repositioning device that can be easily adjusted, or incrementally adjusted, to correct a malocclusion condition.